Animal trap



T. M. HOVELL ANIMAL TR P May 1, 1923.

Filed Aug. 51 1921 mg gE Patented May 1, 1923. j K j i 1&537955 UNITED stares PATENT GFFICE; V I mrro vres MLitKZ-EVELL, or ELsrnnE, EnGLAm} l I IMA P- Applieation filed August a1, 1921. Serial n 43 7 p j j (GRANTED unnnarnn raovrsrons or ran ACT or MARCH 3, 1921, ail a j L, 1313p) To all whom it may concern. v right angle which enablesthe rod B on the Be 'it known that I," THOMAS M RK opposite door to hold it"dow'n, -the end of HovnLL, Elstree, Herts, England, have inthe rod B being retained in theloop F of the vented certain new, and useful Improve three-armed lever GF' P B when the trap 5 ments in Animal Traps, for which 1 have is set, thus enabling it to preventthe other 55 filed application in England, 1-8thMarch, rod C also from rising and the doors from 1920, Patent No; 153,832, and of which the I falling. a following is a specifications- The treadle H which for preference is Thisinvention consists in improvements placed lengthways, is counterweighted, the I 10 in and relating to animal traps oft-he cage counterweight L for convenience placed to 60 variety with a door at each end, to be placed one side of the trap and rests on the adjustin the runs of animals, more especially rats. able screw D Fig. 4, attached to the sup- The object of my invention is to provide a porting frame E which isfixed to the floor tripping mechanism which takes the form of of the trap. The level of the counterweight apivotedtreadle or plate,preferably counteris arranged so that when the screw D is 65 weighted, substantially horizontal and such withdrawn tothe level of the upper surface that the weight of the animal when treading of its supporting frame E the treadle is thereon causes it to move down sufliciently horizontal. The use of the screw D is to to disengage the lower extremity of the deenable the setting of the trap to be adjusted pending and approximately vertical arm of by depressing the free edge of the treadle 70 a three armed lever pivoted to turn upon a 'and thus diminishing the contact support cross horizontal axis near the top of the of the vertioalarm Gr of the lever G F- P R trap, having a lateral arm carrying a c-ounto be presently described so that even a terweight, and an upward arm ending in a light weight such as that of a young animal loop that, in the set position of the parts will spring the trap as readily as the heavier 75' holds one of the door arms,'which said door weight of an older animal. and enable a arm itself engages the other door arm. wary animal to be caught, who would be In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is frightened by a coarse movement of the a perspective view of the trap (the nearer treadle and escape without springing the side of the trap and the top between the trap.

Q so doors being removed for convenience of il- The three-armedlever G F P R is pivoted lustration) showing the same when set and to a transverse bar at or near the roof of ready for use. the trap and the vertical arm G when'the Fig. 2 is a perspective view (the nearer trap is set rests against the edge of an side and the top of the trap between the aperture K made in the treadle. The up- 35. doors having been removed) of the trap, per arm terminates above in a loop F which showing the same when the trap has been whenthe trap is set retains the rod B and I sprung. thus keeps the doors supported. From be- Fig. 3 is a plan showing the arrangement neath the loop F the arm P projects more of the setting mechanism as seen from above or less horizontally andhas a weight R at 90 when the trap is set. I its extremity. When the treadle is de- Fig. 4 is a detail view of the adjustable pressed as by an animal passing over it, the treadle-stop. vertical arm G is'released from its contact In carrying my invention into effect I with the edge of the aperture in the treadle, construct an oblong enclosure having a door and the counterweight R then falls and or doors A A pivoted at each end on pivots drags the loop F away from the end of the V which fall by gravity assisted if desired rod B and thus allows the rod B to rise and] j by spring pressure. Attached to the upper with it the rod C and thusthe doors to fall. end of each door'is a rod, the end of which To prevent the doors from being raised rod C on one door is bent horizontally at a by an'imprisoned animal, a piece of wire S we S bent as shown in the drawings is pivoted to the end cross piece of the frame of the trap and rests on the corresponding door while the trap is set. When the trap is sprung, the wire falls with the door until its end is, arrested by coming intocontaot with the turned up extremity T T of the door and thus the door is kept shut until the wire is lifted up.

To further prevent the escape of a small animal a transverse bar X X commonly known as a baulking bar is placed across the trap just external to the position occupied by the closed door so thatiwhen the door is lifted to the extent which must be allowed to give the catoh S play the bar is across the spacecreate'd between the lower edge of the door and the bottom of tlie' trap.

Al thongh I have described abjove the pree red embodimen of my .i ven i m t i to beunderstojod that it is n'ot limited thereto, but includes all forms of traps falling within the scope of the claim.

\Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is An animal trap comprising a Wire frame; pivotally mounted doors secured at the top of and near the ends of said frame; a lever pivoted at the top of said frame and midway between said doors, said lever having a counter weight thereon; guards pivotally secured at the top of and at the ends of said frame, the free end of said guard being adapted to be associated with said doors; rods on said doors for association with said lever; and means; for releasing said lever so that said doors will drop and said guards will lock the doors in place p p In witness whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two w1t nesses. i

v p T. MARK HOVELL. Witnesses:

R. Hanna A, Mom. 

